A New World
by HeartHermione
Summary: An intelligent Harry Potter story.  Thirteen years after the downfall of the Dark Lord, a wizard of tremendous power is on the loose and has killed three Muggles.  The Aurors are on the hunt, but young Lissy Quixley is desperate to find him first.
1. Chapter 1 i

A New World

_This is a story about the wizarding world after the downfall of the Dark Lord. The story begins thirteen years after the Deathly Hallows. The main character Lissy Quixley is an new character. She is clever, tough and a rule breaker who does not respect authority_

_Soon Lissy comes into contact with familiar characters from the Harry Potter world, including the trio we all know and love. I have imagined the sort of people that they have become since the downfall of Voldemort, and the way they influence the wizarding world today._

_As the story opens, a very powerful wizard is on the loose, and it is Lissy's responsibility to find him quickly. As the story deepens, we discover how the actions of Harry, Ron, Hermione and other familiar characters are changing the future of the wizarding world._

Chapter One – The Sirens

_14 May 2011_

_Thirteen years after the fall of the Dark Lord._

i)

The sirens filled the streets of London with their dissonant wail as fire engines, ambulances and police cars raced along the city streets towards the tragic scene. Dutiful police officers in fluorescent yellow coats herded the Muggles of the city away from the disaster area, and cordoned off the roads with streams of blue and white tape. The crowd stood at the edge of the controlled zone, starting at the scene disaster, phones pressed to their ears, voices raised over the noise. Within minutes helicopters were whirling loudly overhead, and reporters leapt from news vans to stand staring into camera lenses and speak with a tense authority about the events unfolding.

Lissy Quixley stood hemmed into the crowd with her wand in her hand. She shuffled awkwardly in the hustle and bustle. She wanted to see what was happening, but she was too short to see past the tall Muggles in front of her. Thinking nothing of it, she jabbed the nearest one with the point of her wand. He flinched, and she pushed past him before he could stop her. With another few quick jabs she made her way forwards, until she was standing at the front up against the police tape. To her frustration, all she could see from here was a row of fire engines and police cars further down the street.

A Muggle policeman on the other side of the line gave Lissy a suspicious look. She would have looked like a Muggle herself if she were judged purely by her physical appearance: a young woman, short in stature, with long dark hair and big brown eyes. However, the officer did not seem to like her purple robe very much, and looked at her as though she was hiding something. The policeman was holding a big weapon which the Muggles called a machine gun. It was an inelegant device which could only wound and kill, far from the wandcraft of wizarding folk. Lissy did not want to see a gun used, especially on her, so she tried to look unassuming.

A short distance away, on the other side of the police line, a female news reporter was speaking into a large black camera. '...the police have yet to offer verification, but unconfirmed reports suggest that what has been described as a massive car bomb was detonated here in Fleet Street just fifteen minutes ago.' The reporter paused for a moment, and held her hand to her ear. 'No, no casualties have yet been announced, but unconfirmed reports suggest that as many as nine people have been seriously injured, with at least two possible fatalities. Police are urging the public to remain calm. No word yet from the government, but a statement from the Home Office is expected shortly.'

Lissy's heart missed a beat. Fatalities. Death. It was worse than she had feared. She kept her wand close to her chest and pushed her way back through the crowd. A whole team of Aurors would be on the street within minutes, if they were not here already. It would not take long to confirm that this was no Muggle bomb, but a serious magical matter, and they would immediately begin hunting for the culprit.

If the Aurors found Lissy here they would ask questions, and she would be compelled to tell them the truth. That could not happen. She had to deal with this herself, quickly, before anybody else could interfere. It the Aurors found the culprit first, this situation could become dire.

'Lissy!' barked an authoritative voice as Lissy emerged from the crowd. She jumped and turned around. A tall middle aged wizard was walking towards her. His crumpled hat was at a crooked angle on his head, and his patterned green robes swished as he strode forwards. Lissy's fear abated. It was her partner, Bosman. 'I came as quickly as I could, kid,' he said. 'What's going on?'

Lissy tried to keep the worry out of her voice. She had to be professional. 'I was in the office. The Trace was triggered here, so I came as fast as I could.' She looked Bosman in the eye. 'A car exploded. Two Muggles died. Others are injured. I can't believe it.'

Bosman nodded and looked towards the scene with a grim expression on his face. 'Merlin's beard...' he said. 'Was it him, then? Miller?'

Lissy sighed helplessly. 'I know he was meant to be here today at around this time. Obviously I can't say for sure.'

'But you think it was him?' he asked, pressing her.

Lissy nodded.

'Right,' said Bosman. 'Have you seen any Aurors yet?'

Lissy shook her head. 'I haven't seen any, but they'll be here somewhere.'

'Well in any event we've not got much time,' Bosman said, cracking his fingers. 'When the Aurors confirm this was a magical incident, they'll run their own check at the Trace Registry. It won't take long to work out who we've been watching recently... and the other incidents surrounding him. It's serious, so I doubt the Registry will protect his anonymity.'

'So they'll get his address,' said Lissy.

'Yes,' said Bosman.

'Damn it, this is our jurisdiction, not theirs,' said Lissy, as she stamped her foot. 'We need to go to him now, before the Aurors find him.'

'Yes of course, in a moment,' said Bosman, with a curt not. 'First I want to see the scene of this explosion. I need to know what we're dealing with.' Bosman held out his hand to her. He was about to disapparate and wanted to take her with him to the same location. Lissy hesitated. Bosman was wasting time. Stubbornly he said: 'Well you could go ahead and find Miller on your own if you want, kid, but I can't think what you'll say to the Aurors without me.'

'Oh, fine!' said Lissy, grabbing his arm angrily. The moment she touched his hand they were away.

The pair apparated on top of a roof overlooking the tragic scene. They were five storeys up, so it was unlikely that anybody would see them. On the other hand Lissy and Bosman had a clear view of the devastation in the street below. It was immediately obvious that a car had indeed exploded. Its smouldering remains and blasted-open roof were lying strewn at the side of the road. All around there were injured Muggles being attended by others in bright orange clothes. The injuries looked bloody and very serious.

Lissy's heart ached with sorrow. 'I'm going to go and help them,' she said.

'You will do no such thing,' said Bosman gravely. 'You know the rules. No interference.'

'Hang the rules!' said Lissy, looking up at her partner and clenching her fists by her side. Her wand was still in her right hand. 'This is our fault,' she said.

Bosman looked at her wand warily but shook his head. 'No interference with the Muggles. That's an order.'

Lissy gave in. She did not care about getting into trouble, certainly not when all she wanted to do was to help people. Yet Bosman was a stronger wizard than her. If she disobeyed him he would overpower her anyway. It was pointless. _Damn it all_, she thought.

Bosman looked back at the scene below and Lissy could see the sorrow in his expression. It was obvious that he deeply regretted that they had not been in the close vicinity of their mark, Miller, at the time. Lissy told herself that it would not have made any difference if they had been there, but it did not make her feel any better.

'The Aurors will take time to link this to Miller and to find his address,' said Bosman eventually.

'What's your point?' said Lissy.

'If I go back to the Ministry now, I can stall for even more time,' said Bosman. 'I should be able to stop the Trace Registry from revealing his address to the Aurors for a little while. They'll call in the lawyers and have a row about it.'

'And in the mean time, I should go and wait at Miller's home, and hope that he gets back there before the Aurors show up,' said Lissy, understanding him.

'Yes,' said Bosman, thoughtfully. It was a sensible course of action. If the Aurors got their hands on Miller first they would claim jurisdiction and lock him down without a second thought. They had to stall for time. Bosman asked: 'You know what this means, though don't you?'

Bosman's gaze said it all. Lissy was going to have to take Miller into custody herself. That meant she had some explaining to do. She had never had to do this on her own before.

'I'll do it,' she said, nodding confidently.

'Good,' said Bosman. 'Now go on, kid.'

Lissy disapparated.


	2. Chapter 1 ii

Chapter One

ii)

Lisete Quixley was a _Protector_. She worked for the Office of Protection within the Ministry of Magic, the primary responsibility of which was to detect and monitor Muggle born witches and wizards during their childhood. The Protectors educated the children about who they were, and carefully welcomed into the magical community so that they did not pose a danger to themselves or others.

Lissy had been working at the Office of Protection for just three years. At the age of twenty four, she was by far the most junior member of the office. Protectors were usually at least thirty years of age, often transferring from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad - the wizarding police. Lissy had taken a different career route. It was owing to her unusual previous qualifications that she had been allowed to become a Protector despite her youth. John Bosman had been her partner since she arrived at the office, and he had taught her well.

Muggle born witches and wizards were rare, so finding them was an enormously difficult task. She loved it. The Protectors made use a wide network of squibs, and worked closely with the Trace Registry, but most of the job was in investigatory work. Lissy's desk in her office was littered with Muggle newspapers, magazines and newsletters from various Muggle 'magic' cults. Whenever anything unusual was reported, she was there.

Today's events were far beyond unusual though. One of the children she had been monitoring, a boy called Richard Miller, had caused a car to explode in central London, killing innocent people in the process. This incident of underage wizardry was more serious than anything she had ever heard of. It was an absolute travesty, and it had happened on Lissy's watch. She blamed herself entirely. On the other hand, Richard Miller had absolutely no idea that he had caused the lethal blast.

Lissy knew Miller was unaware because the boy was only three years old.

...

Lissy apparated in a busy street in the East End of London.

She was standing below a block of grim, concrete-grey council flats, in a dark, discreet alcove with which she was familiar. A quick glance around confirmed that her presence had gone unnoticed. That was for the best. She pulled up the hood of her purple cloak and walked quickly towards the stairwell.

At the fifth floor, Lissy emerged onto a long balcony. The balcony ran the length of the building and overlooked the street. At regular intervals along the balcony there were doors into the individual flats. Lissy walked along the balcony until she reached the flat where Richard Miller and his mother lived.

Lissy knocked on the door. She did not expect a response, because there was no way that the pair could be home already. She did not receive one. Lissy looked around at her surroundings. The outside of the flat was a dingy place, and she did not particularly feel like waiting there for the Millers to turn up. It was better just to go inside, she decided. Strictly speaking she should not be entering a Muggle house without consent, but relative to the events of the day that was just a minor technicality. Lissy raised her wand to the lock and said: '_Alohamora!_'.

There was a sharp clicking noise. Lissy turned the handle, and the door opened with ease, granting her access to the musty flat. It had the damp stink of cigarette smoke, set against the sharp smell of Muggle alcoholic spirits which lingered in the air. The room she was in seemed to double as both lounge and dining area. The curtains were drawn, allowing only a dim yellow light to illuminate the drab furnishings. 'What a dive,' said Lissy as she closed the door behind herself.

Lissy did a sweep of the flat to make sure it was empty. There was a basic kitchen, most of which was hidden under dirty plates and pans; and two small bedrooms, one for Richard and one for his mother. For a family so poor, the boy's bedroom had a surprising amount of toys littered across the floor.

Returning to the living room, Lissy sank into a grey armchair and switched on the television. The major news networks were all running special bulletins about the alleged bomb attack.

Lissy recognised the Muggle reporter that she had seen in the street ten minutes ago. Unsurprisingly she was standing in the same place. The reporter was carrying on a conversation with the newsreader in the studio, and the picture cut back and forth between the two. There were now three reported deaths, and a further person was in a critical condition.

Right now Lissy imagined that Kingsley Shacklebolt, the long standing Minister of Magic, would be paying a personal visit to the Muggle prime minister. He would explain that it was a magical incident. It would be up to the prime minister to decide what he did with that information, though no doubt he would just keep it to himself whilst the security services went into overdrive. After all, what could he say or do?

Shacklebolt would offer solidarity and some financial reparation for dealing with the aftermath. No magical medical treatment would be offered of course. Those with life threatening injuries would have to make do with feeble Muggle remedies like surgery. It was always that way. Lissy thought it was a disgraceful way to treat the injured victims of magic.

Lissy waited in the flat, watching the news bulletins roll in silently, thinking about the implications of the incident. No underage wizard had ever demonstrated such violent power, much less unknowingly. Lissy reminded herself that no matter how bad the situation was, no blame could be placed on Miller. The Aurors would try to prevent such a hazardous child remaining loose in the Muggle community. She had to stop them, even if she could not yet work out how she would do so. This was an issue for the Protectors.

A little over half an hour later, there was a clicking and a turning of keys in the door. Lissy stood up and composed herself. A young woman stepped into the room and a sandy-haired little boy tottered in after her. The mother had dark stains under her eyes, as though she had been crying and her makeup had run. She did not see Lissy at first, but Richard did.

'Mummy!' he exclaimed, pointing a finger at Lissy.

The mother looked up and gasped. 'Get out of my 'ouse!' she said instinctively, ushering Richard aside and grabbing an empty glass bottles from the window sill.

'Mrs Miller,' said Lissy, wishing she had just waited outside. 'It's ok. I'm a police officer.'

Richard's mother stayed still and frowned with deep suspicion. 'Police? I ain't done nothing wrong. You got any ID?'

Lissy routed in the pocket of her robes and finding a small black wallet. 'Here'. She held out the wallet to Richard's mother and waited for her to take it.

The mother took the wallet cautiously, and flipped it open to reveal Lissy's badge. 'Office of Protection,' she read. 'What's that?'

'Mrs Miller, sit down,' said Lissy, in her most persuasive voice. 'Please?'

'Not till you tell me what you want,' said the mother. 'I ain't done nothing wrong!'

'Mrs Miller,' said Lissy again, sitting back down in the armchair and gesturing to the sofa. 'Have a seat, this is very important.'

'It's _Miss_ Miller,' said the mother, folding her arms. She took stock still for a moment, eyeing Lissy up and down, as though wondering if she could overpower her. Richard's mother was quite short, about the same height as Lissy, but she looked like she had a strong arm. After a few moments, she sat down tensely, and pulled Richard close to herself.

Lissy smiled at Richard and tried not to think about the people he had unwittingly killed today. The little boy looked sheepish, and sat on the sofa awkwardly beside his mother.

'Miss Miller, were you at the scene of the explosion today?' Lissy tilted her head towards the mute television set, upon which overhead images of the disaster area were being displayed.

'Is that what this is about?' said Miss Miller, incredulously. 'Wait, how would you know I was there? Are you accusing me of something?'

Lissy shook her head. 'I just want to know if you're feeling ok. You were there then?'

'Well, yes,' she said, looking away.

'What were you doing at the time?' asked Lissy.

'Nothin'!' said Miss Miller. 'There was a huge bang and the car just blew up and I got out of there as fast as I could.'

Lissy leaned forwards in her chair and looked sympathetically at Richard, who looked understandably perturbed by this whole situation. 'What were you doing the moment before the explosion?'

Miss Miller shrugged. 'Can't remember.'

Richard spoke. 'I wanted sweeties,' he said, matter-of-factly to Lissy.

'Oh, yeah,' said Miss Miller. 'Ricky was bawling 'cause he wanted sweets.'

'And you wouldn't get him any,' said Lissy.

'No,' said Miss Miller.

'And then...' said Lissy.

Miss Miller shut her eyes and shook her head. 'I don't want to think about it. It was horrible.'

Lissy sat back in the chair and sighed. It was true. In his tantrum, Richard had caused the explosion. How strange it was that neither of them should yet know just how much of a stir this would cause across the magical community.

'Miss Miller, I have to tell you something about Richard,' said Lissy, as calmly as she could. She had seen Bosman give this explanation a couple of times, but she had not had to give it herself before. 'He's a wizard.'

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: Thank you for reading my story, I do hope to read your thoughts on it. The next instalment will be up in two days, and features a very familiar character. I hope you will continue to enjoy it. Best wishes, HeartHermione.<strong>


	3. Chapter 1 iii

**Author's note: I'm really glad that so many people are reading the story and marking it as a favourite. I look forward to hearing what you think about this part of the first chapter, in which we come across a familiar character. Enjoy! : )****  
><strong>  
>Chapter One<p>

Part iii

In Lissy's short experience, telling a Muggle born child that they are a witch or wizard was not easy. However, it was nothing compared to telling their Muggle parent. Most children seemed to have a natural disposition towards believing in the magical and unexplained, and children with magical blood even more so. Their magical identity usually turned out to be the missing piece of the puzzle of their life. On the other hand the parents were hardened into scepticism by the humdrum of the Muggle world, and often refused to believe even after a demonstration of wizardry in their own home.

Miss Miller was no exception. Even after Lissy had poured water from her wand tip, fired sparks into the air, and turned Miss Miller's keys into a watch, she still shook her head obstinately, certain that she was being tricked. Richard on the other hand watched with wide eyed awe, not disbelieving for a second that what he was witnessing was very much real. It was only when Lissy apparated across the living room that Miss Miller shook her head for the last time and began to believe what she saw.

'And you're saying Richard's a... wizard,' said Miss Miller, still wide eyed even after a few minutes.

'Yes,' said Lissy, sitting down on the edge of the dingy grey armchair. 'And a powerful wizard at that.'

Richard, who was by now intensely curious, piped up. 'Can I play with your wand?' he asked, innocently.

Lissy's heart jumped. 'Gosh, no,' she said, on instinct. Richard stepped forward anyway to try and take her wand, but Lissy held it up out of his reach. 'It wouldn't work,' she said to him. 'A wand only works for its owner.' That was only a half-truth, but it was enough to placate Richard for the time being, and he returned to his mother's side.

Lissy knew that she now had to go one step further, and tell Richard's mother about what was going to happen next. 'Miss Miller,' she said.

'Please... call me Jenny,' she said.

'Jenny,' started Lissy again. 'I'm afraid that you can't stay here in your flat right now. It's not safe for you or Richard.'

'What?' said Jenny, folding her arms indignantly, 'I'm not leavin' here. I don't care who you are.'

'Jenny,' pressed Lissy, 'a group of powerful wizards called the Aurors are going to find out about Richard very soon, and when they do, they're going to try and take him away from you.'

'What!' said Jenny, scooping Richard up onto her knee. 'You can't take him away from me. I don't care who you are. I'm his mother for crying out loud!'

Lissy edged forward on her chair and clasped her hands together. 'I know, Jenny, I know. But there's nothing I can do about it. I can't stop the Aurors. They're like a law unto themselves.'

Richard was now starting to look frightened. His eyes were screwing up like he was about to cry. 'Hush, baby,' said Jenny, 'don't worry it's ok.'

'Jenny the only chance for you two to stay together right now may be for you to come with me,' said Lissy, reaching out her hand to the mother and child.

'Where?' said Jenny, eyeing her hand suspiciously.

'To the Ministry of Magic,' said Lissy. 'I can protect you there much better than here. We can work together then to protect you and your son.'

'Why are you holding out your hand?' Jenny asked.

'I'm going to disapparate with you,' she said, 'if you'll let me. And I really hope you will.'

'Disapparate,' said Jenny. 'Like when you zipped across the room right now?'

'Yes,' said Lissy. 'But much further. To the centre of London.'

Jenny hugged Richard close to her body, and looked at Lissy's hand with trepidation. Lissy received the impression that she had won Jenny's trust, and the woman seemed to be strongly considering her proposal. 'Will it hurt?' she asked.

Lissy shook her head, and said: 'No'. Again, not the whole truth. Apparation was very unpleasant the first time.

Jenny reached out her hand to Lissy, and their skin touched. Lissy indicated that Richard should take her hand too, and Jenny encouraged her son to grab onto Lissy's finger. Thank goodness, thought Lissy.

She disapparated.

No – she tried to disapparate.

Lissy's whole body shuddered, and her vision went grey and blurry for a moment.

She tried to disapparate again.

Her sight went grey again, and there was a sharp pulse between the three parties which shocked them into letting go of each other.

'What did you do!' exclaimed Jenny.

'Nothing,' said Lissy, her heartbeat quickening. She stood up and looked towards the door apprehensively. 'They've locked me down. The Ministry's cast an anti-disapparation spell over the building.'

'So what now?' said Jenny, standing too. Richard was ready to cry again.

'They're coming,' said Lissy. 'The Aurors.'

Even as she said the words, there was a loud crack on the balcony outside the flat. A silhouette had appeared outside the window.

Lissy drew her wand and pointed it at the door. '_Colloportus!_' she shouted, willing the flat to become sealed against intruders.

At the same time a loud male voice shouted out on the other side of the door '_Allohamora!_'.

There was a bang, and a shattering of wood as the lock exploded under the pressure of the two spells. The door burst open.

In strode a tall, broad shouldered wizard of around thirty years. He was wearing a long, close fitting grey coat, with wide sleeves. His face was pale and freckled, and cast in a stern expression. His flaming red hair was cropped short, so that he looked something like a Muggle soldier.

'Quixley,' said the entering wizard angrily. Lissy raised her wand, ready to hex him. He saw her arm move though, and shouted, '_Expelliarmus!_', sending her wand out of her hand instantly so that it hit the far wall.

Lissy took a step forward so that she was standing right in front of the man, putting herself between the lead Auror and the two Millers. She had to crane her neck to look up at him. 'Weasley,' she said, in the same callous tone with which had addressed her, 'I knew it would be you who came.'

'Just doing my job, Quixley' said Ronald Weasley, unsympathetically, 'same as you.'

'Well you took your time,' she said, in a belittling tone.

Weasley frowned, annoyed, 'Your partner Bosman can throw a fit like no-one else,' he said. 'But he couldn't hold us off for long.'

'Get out of my house!' shrieked Jenny Miller suddenly. 'Both of you, get out! Get out!'

Weasley moved Lissy aside and stepped past to stare down at Jenny. Then his gaze fell upon Richard. 'So you're the one,' he said to the boy, levelly. 'You've caused some real trouble, today, lad.'

'Gosh, you're stupid, Weasley,' said Lissy, squaring up to him. 'He's not to blame! He doesn't have a clue!'

'Yes, thank you, Quixley,' he said, stonily, 'now let me do my job.'

'Get out!' shouted Jenny again.

'Mummy!' wailed Richard, tears now streaming from his eyes. Jenny picked him up and glared at Lissy and Weasley, whilst Lissy just glared at the tall red haired man

dominating the room.

Then there was a rumbling. The room started to shake. As Richard cried, the bottles on the shelves began to wobble, and pots and pans clinked in the kitchen. Weasley's breath caught for a moment, and he stood dumbstruck staring at the child. Lissy had seen this sort of thing happen before, but this was Weasley's first experience of the boy's power. Jenny looked at her son with a look of newfound comprehension and fear.

Weasley came to his senses. 'Sorry about this, kid,' he said, abruptly. 'I'm going to have to stop you there. You'll understand one day.' He raised his wand.

'No!' said Lissy.

'_Petrificus totalus!_' he shouted. There was a jet of light, which struck both mother and child. They went stiff as boards, and the rumbling ceased immediately.

'Weasley!' shouted Lissy, giving the man a hard shove. 'What are you doing!'

Weasley shrugged her off. 'This is Auror business,' he said. 'It doesn't concern you anymore.'

'Auror business?' exclaimed Lissy, furiously. 'I _am_ an Auror, you great dumb oaf!'

Weasley looked at her with superiority written across his face. 'An Auror?' he said. 'Don't be daft, Quixley. You left us. And that was your choice.'


	4. Chapter 1 iv

**Author's note: Hi! A slightly longer part of the chapter this week, really getting to the heart of this part of the story. Another familiar face appears too! I really like this part, I hope you do too! (The final part of the chapter will be up in 2-3 days).**

iv)

The Wizengamot was sitting in full session. When Lissy entered from the back of the court, the fifty court members were already present, wearing the full formal regalia, including the plum coloured robes embroidered with a silver 'W'. They filled the upper gallery, looking down into the central well of the court. The Minister of Magic himself was to sit as judge, though as yet his chair remained empty.

In the well of the court there were rows of desks, neatly divided by a central aisle. The front two desks on were reserved for counsel, who represented each party. The applicant, the Auror Office, was on the right; and the respondent, the Office of Protection, was on the left. Behind the place reserved for counsel were further desks where members of the parties could sit to provide instructions to their representative.

Lissy went to the left side of the court, to the second row of desks from the front. John Bosman was already there, flicking through a sheaf of papers and glancing at his watch. 'Have you seen Mr Jermyn?' Bosman whispered to Lissy, as she sat down.

'No, why?' asked Lissy.

'Not turned up, yet,' muttered Bosman.

'Damn,' said Lissy. Mr Jermyn was supposed to be representing the Office of Protection.

Lissy looked at the parties sitting opposite. The counsel acting for the Aurors' Office was Mr Saville. He was already seated at the appellant bench. Ignatius Saville was the favourite lawyer of the Aurors' Office. He was immaculate in presentation, and he had both a quick wit and razor sharp tongue. His air of virtue and uprightness was a misleading facade for a department of ruthless, law breaking thugs. Yet in one way he was similar to those he represented: the zealous way with which he pursued his case was akin to the single-mindedness of the Aurors.

The court clerk was becoming tetchy. From his position just below the Minister's seat, he kept staring up at the large court clock and tutting loudly. Court was due to start, but he would not want to invite the Minister to court until counsel for the respondent had arrived. Where was Mr Jermyn?

Another minute went by, and the clerk starting tapping the base of his wand on his desk. He looked to Bosman and was about to open his mouth to speak when the court room door was flung open and a short, slim witched rushed inside. Her black robes billowed as she walked, and her bushy brown hair bobbed up and down in a ponytail. She dropped a thick bungle of papers down on the front desk and composed herself as she straightened her robes.

The cantankerous clerk grunted when he saw her arrive, and left the courtroom through the back door. When he returned he had the Minister of Magic in tow.

'What's _she_ doing here?' hissed Lissy, looking at the witch who was apparently representing them. 'Where's Mr Jermyn?'

Bosman shook his head in a way that said 'I have no idea.'

'All rise!' said the clerk loudly.

Everyone in the room stood up as Kingsley Shacklebolt made his way to his chair, nodded to the court and took his seat. The court followed his example, save for the two counsel who remained standing.

The Minister looked around, glanced at his papers, then looked down into the well of the court at the woman who was standing where Mr Jermyn should have been. 'Mrs Weasley,' said Shacklebolt, in his deep, slow tone, 'to what do I owe the pleasure?'

'Apologies, Minister,' said Hermione Weasley, 'Mr Jermyn has been taken sick. I have been instructed to act in his place.'

Lissy turned to Bosman with a face like thunder. 'She's Weasley's wife!' she whispered. 'This is wrong! The Aurors are setting us up.'

Bosman did not look worried. 'Hermione is no stooge of the Aurors office,' he said. 'I am sure of that.'

'But-' protested Lissy, but Bosman put a finger to his lips to indicate silence.

'Your Excellence,' said Mrs Weasley to the Minister, 'may I have one moment to consult those instructing me?'

The Minister nodded with a relaxed smile, though his clerk blew out his moustache and resumed tapping his wand on the desk. Mrs Weasley turned around to talk to Bosman and Lissy.

'John,' said Mrs Weasley to Bosman, with an awkward smile. 'This is strange.'

Bosman leaned over to Lissy. 'I was Hermione's Protector when she was a child,' he explained. 'I've known her for twenty years.' Lissy nodded slowly – that was well, but it did not mean she was free from bias.

'Sorry about the late change,' said Mrs Weasley, as she tucked a loose curl of hair behind her ear. 'Mr Jermyn's ill. He started growing purple scales, so he's been taken into to St Mungo's.'

Lissy was not happy. The Protectors' representative was married to the chief witness for the Auror Office. It was not fair. Lissy folded her arms and said to Mrs Weasley: 'When you took this brief, did you know your husband was on the other side?'

Mrs Weasley glanced across the room to where her husband was speaking in hushed tones with Ignatius Saville. Weasley looked up, gave Lissy a stupid smile and a silly wave of his fingers. He looked amused at the situation. Mrs Weasley huffed and looked back at Lissy and Bosman. 'I guessed he would be here,' she said, with a shrug. 'It's just like the Chief Auror to send his right-hand man.'

'So you're not just his pretty little puppet?' asked Lissy, raising an eyebrow.

'Lissy,' said Bosman, silencing her with a sharp look. Mrs Weasley was affronted by Lissy's words, but Bosman mollified her. 'Forgive my cynical understudy, Hermione. We have no reservations with your acting.'

Mrs Weasley smiled at Bosman. 'Thank you, John,' she said. She gave Lissy a narrow, untrusting glance then turned to face the assembled Wizengamot.

'Understudy indeed,' muttered Lissy, just loud enough for Bosman to hear.

The Minister called on Ignatius Saville to open proceedings for the applicant. He stood up tall, folded his arms behind his back, and spoke with a crisp clear tone. He introduced the case for the Auror's office. 'Minister, it is the case of the Aurors' office that the Ministry should take the wizard Richard Miller away from his Muggle mother, and into the custody of the Ministry. He is a danger to Muggle society. If the Ministry does not intervene now, the boy will soon become a danger to the wizarding world too.'

The chief witness for the Auror's office was to be Ronald Weasley. When Saville had finished opening the case he was called to the witness stand to give his testimony for the Auror's office. He strode up to the witness box with a strut in his step, and regarded Lissy and Bosman before turning his eyes to Saville.

'Mr Weasley, you are the Auror who brought the child into custody?' asked Saville.

'Yes,' said Weasley.

'How old is the boy?' asked Saville.

'Three years old,' said Weasley.

'Why did you apprehend him?' asked Saville.

'For use of underage magic,' said Weasley. At one he changed his expression and became quite sober. 'He caused a Muggle vehicle to explode. Three people were killed.'

The Wizengamot already knew this of course. It was common knowledge in the Ministry. Nevertheless there were some sharp intakes of breath when Weasley gave this evidence.

'Tell the court about the apprehension of the child, please,' said Saville, crisply.

'Certainly,' said Weasley. 'When I went to take him into care, he got upset, and he started to use magic unconsciously. The building we were in began to shake. I've never known any young wizard to be so strong.'

Ignatius Savilled nodded. 'Why does the Auror Office feel so strongly about this application?'

'It is the will of the Chief Auror,' said Weasley, rather importantly. He looked up and made eye contact with the Minister, and then spoke aloud to the members of the Wizengamot. 'You all know and trust the Chief Auror as an expert in powerful magic. He believes that the child is a danger. We must take measures to ensure he is brought up safely within the magical community, where he can understand his powers, and learn to control them.'

Ignatius Saville thanked Weasley for his testimony, and then took his seat. Hermione Weasley stood up. She brushed her hair back and smoothed her robes, then turned to the witness box to address her husband.

'Mr Weasley,' said Mrs Weasley.

'Yes dear,' he said, with an insipid smile.

Lissy gritted her teeth. What an insufferable ignoramus! This was important and he was going to use his wife to make a mockery of their case. Bosman saw Lissy become agitated and gave her a warning shake of his head.

Fortunately, Mrs Weasley paid no mind to her husband's conduct. 'How long has the Auror's office been monitoring the boy Richard Miller?'

Weasley shrugged his shoulders. 'Since the explosion.'

'Did you know of the boy's existence before that event?' asked she.

'No,' said Weasley, disinterestedly, 'children aren't our main concern at the Auror's office.'

'Has the office ever previously made an application for the Ministry to take custody of a child?' asked Mrs Weasley, raising her tone.

'Not that I'm aware of,' said Weasley. 'But no three year old wizard has ever killed three Muggles before.'

'Tell me,' said Mrs Weasley, 'if this matter is so crucial to the Chief Auror, why is he not giving evidence today himself?'

'He's on urgent business in Spain,' said Weasley, nonchalantly. 'Auror business. You wouldn't understand. There's a lot of dark wizards doing a lot of nasty things which you don't want to know about. He's making sure our children safe at night, dear.'

He was being utterly patronising! Lissy wanted to hex him right there and then. She gripped her wand tightly under her robe, and distracted herself by imagining how satisfying it would be to turn him into a toad or a stoat or something else foul.

Mrs Weasley waited for a few moments, then looked up to the Minister. 'I have no further questions,' she said.

Kingsely Shacklebolt nodded and told Weasley that he could step down from the witness stand. Weasley swaggered back to his desk. Lissy was baffled by the man. He was so relaxed, as though he had no interest in the proceedings whatsoever. It was as though he did not care about winning the case. Either that... or he did not think he would lose.

It was now the turn of the respondent party to make its case. Hermione spoke calmly as she said: 'The respondent calls Lisete Quixley.'

'Keep your head, kid,' murmured Bosman as Lissy stood up. 'Remember she's on our side.' Lissy cast him a doubtful look, then took up her place in the witness stand.

'You are Lisete Quixley?' asked Mrs Weasley.

'Yes,' said Lissy.

'You are a Protector of the Office of Protection?' asked Mrs Weasley.

'Yes,' said Lissy.

'And you are an Auror, as well,' asked Mrs Weasley.

'Yes,' said Lissy. Her eyes strayed to Ronald Weasley on the other side of the room as she gave that answer. He met her glance and leaned forward to speak forward to Ignatius Saville.

Mr Saville suddenly stood up. 'Your Excellence, I must interject,' he said, 'Miss Quixley is not an Auror.'

Lissy looked at Saville and Weasley and anger boiled within her. Memories of her years of training rushed through her mind, and she said adamantly: 'I _am_ an Auror.'

...

Lissy had graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, at the top of her class, with Outstanding grades in five N.E.W.T.s. When she left school, she was flooded with job offers. The Daily Prophet, Gringotts Bank, every department of the Ministry of Magic: everybody wanted to make the most of her talents. In the end she had taken a job which she had never planned for, as a trainee in the Auror Office.

Lissy had never harboured an aspiration to become an Auror, so when she was first offered the traineeship she turned it down. But then she was personally approached by a well-known and influential young Auror, who wanted to take her as his personal trainee. He had insisted that she come work with him, and of course... he was a man to whom nobody said 'no'.

She soon came to regret the decision. Her mentor was a hard and uncompromising man, whose methods were severe. He flouted Auror rules, arrested people on the barest suspicion of dark wizardry, and inflicted great pain on them to withdraw confessions and information. She despised his methods, but he did not care for her dissent. Then things got worse.

Her mentor was appointed as the Chief Auror. So it was that the Auror office entered a new age of draconian abuse of power. The new Chief went after anyone suspected of dabbling in the dark arts with a ferocious zeal. In Lissy's final year of training, the new Chief sent more witches and wizards to Azkaban than in the previous five. At the root of the Chief's attitude was a desire to protect and serve the magical community, and she knew that he had a good heart, but he was stubborn and stuck in his ways, and refused to soften his approach.

Once her training was complete and she was qualified as an Auror, Lissy resigned from the office. After three years of working for that harsh regime, she had had enough. The Chief Auror was angry. He said she was far too useful to the office to squander her talents elsewhere.

She had joined the Office of Protection so that she could use her talents to help guide the future generation, rather than throw the current generation behind bars.

...

In the Wizengamot, the court waited for an answer. 'I am a trained Auror,' said Lissy, levelly. 'But now I work for the Office of Protection.'

Mr Saville looked ready to interject again, but Kingsley Shacklebolt waved him down and nodded for Mrs Weasley to continue. 'How long have you been observing Richard Miller?' she asked.

'A little over a year,' said Lissy.

'Please describe the type of acts you have witnessed him perform,' said Mrs Weasley.

'He's not normally so violent,' said Lissy. 'There have been disturbances. Muggle electrics often break around him, and there are tremors in the ground, but no-one gets hurt. The incident in London was a one-off.'

'Why do you believe he should not be taken into custody?' asked Mrs Weasley.

'Because he needs to be with this mother,' said Lissy, looking up at the wizards and witches above. 'You can't take a child from their mother. It will ruin his life, and surely that is more likely to make him unstable. And...' Lissy paused, shaking slightly.

'And, Miss Quixley?' prompted the Minister.

'He needs to be loved, your Excellence,' said Lissy. 'I know what it's like to have that love taken away from you at an early age. It will tear him apart.' Dreadful memories flashed in her mind, and she fought to keep a grip on her emotions. Her hands trembled.

Mrs Weasley looked up at the Wizengamot, and contentment spread across her face. She was pleased with the evidence Lissy had given. 'I have no further questions,' she said, sitting down.

Now Ignatius Saville stood up, locking Lissy in his sights. He took a few moments, feigning sympathy whilst she collected herself, and trying to show air of mild patronising embarrassment at her emotional words.

'Miss Quixley,' he said, 'we have heard persuasive testimony from you. Nobody here questions the importance of the loving bond between mother and child. But there is a greater reality here. How many people did Miller kill?'

'Three,' said Lissy, flatly, 'accidentally.'

'Adults?' asked Saville.

'Yes,' said Lissy.

'With children of their own, no doubt,' said Saville. 'How many more mothers and father must die so that Miller can live as a Muggle?'

'No more will die,' said Lissy, raising her voice. 'The Protectors will keep him safe. Even in the Muggle world.'

'Yet you have already failed in that task, have you not?' asked Saville.

'We didn't know what we were dealing with!' said Lissy, gripping the edge of the witness box. 'And he'll be safer with us than with that lot controlling him!' She pointed a finger at Weasley.

'Miss Quixley,' said Kingsley Shacklebolt from the Minister's seat, in his deep, calming tone. 'How can you make such a guarantee?'

'I'll protect him,' she said, 'day and night. I'll make sure he doesn't hurt anyone else.'

'I should tell you,' Kingsley said slowly, 'I am strongly persuaded to follow the advice of the Chief Auror. The boy should come to the Ministry.'

'Then let his mother live in the magical community too!' said Lissy. 'Don't keep them apart!'

There were some shocked gasps from the assembly above, and mutterings of 'outrageous,' and 'foolish'. The Minister shook his head slowly.

'Don'y you see what you're doing?' said Lissy. She looked around at the Wizengamot and pleaded with them. 'Is this not too familiar? A powerful wizard, raised without a mother, unloved? You're risking setting up another Voldemort!'

There began a deep rumbling and murmuring in the assembly. The Minister bowed his head and shifted uncomfortably. In the well of the court, Bosman was tense, and Mrs Weasley was apprehensive. Across the room, Ronald Weasley kept a straight expression. How could he be so calm? He had been part of Dumbledore's Army, the famous few who had defeated the Dark Lord. Did he not fear what Miller could become?

After a while the Minister looked up and addressed Mr Saville. 'Do you have any further questions?' he asked.

'None, your Excellence,' said Saville to the Minister.

Lissy returned to her place and folded her arms tightly. Bosman tried to put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged him away. Mr Saville and Mrs Weasley made closing speeches, summarising the evidence that had been given and putting forward their most persuasive case. During this time Lissy sat with her eyes lowered, not wanting to look up at the wizards gathered above.

Eventually the Minister addressed the Wizengamot. 'You have heard the application and the response. Those supporting the Auror Office, please raise your hand.'

The vast majority of hands went straight up, and Lissy's heart sank. They had lost. The Minister did not bother to count the opposing votes.

'As Minister of Magic I order the following,' said Shacklebolt. 'The boy known as Richard Miller shall be taken into the care of the Ministry of Magic. He is to be under constant supervision, so that his extraordinary power will not be a danger. His connections to the Muggle world will be severed, and his contact with his mother will be limited to designated occasions.'

'It's just a sham', said Lissy, standing up and accusing the minister. 'There's no justice. You're all under the thumb of the Aurors!'

The Minister said nothing. He looked uncomfortable, but his face showed quiet resolution. As Lissy stood trembling, Bosman stood up and hastened her back into her seat. Lissy slumped down beside him and gripped her wand tightly.

She turned to Bosman and whispered. 'As soon as the Chief is back from Spain, I'm going to go and sort him out,' said Lissy, gripping her wand. 'There's still one witch in this Ministry that isn't under the spell of Harry Potter.'


	5. Chapter 1 v

**Author's note: So to the final part of Chapter 1. I love this part, because we meet the main man himself. I hope you like my interpretation of him a few years down the line. Comments are greatly welcomed. Let me know what you like and what you don't like. Yours in all things HP, HeartHermione x**

v)

Lissy was still furious when she arrived outside the Auror's office later that afternoon. After the trial, Bosman had tried to calm her down, but she did not listen to him. She was so angry. The Ministry should have no power to take a child away from his mother, and the Aurors had no right to demand it. It was so callous and unfair. What was more, it was utterly foolish. The Chief Auror of all people should have been able to recognise the stupidity of his actions.

The doors of the Auror Office were closed. When Lissy had first trained with the office, the doors had always been kept open. After her departure, and following an increase in their draconian abuse of powers, the Aurors had taken to locking the doors on a permanent basis. 'Alohamora!' Lissy said, pointing her wand at the lock. The handle rattled slightly, would not yield to her.

With a disgruntled huff, she raised her knuckles to knock on the wooden panel, but at that moment, the door swung open to reveal the tall form of Ron Weasley. He looked down at her with a bemused expression. 'Quixley,' he said, folding his arms to indicate that she was not welcome.

'I want to speak to him,' said Lissy, disposing with greetings.

'Oh, clear off, kid,' said Weasley waving a dismissive hand.

'I said – I want to speak to him. So get out of my way!' Lissy said, stamping her foot on the cold granite tiles.

'Go lick a Skrewt,' he said, and began to close the door.

'Stupefy!' shouted Lissy, thrusting her wand forward and unleashing a jet of red light. It struck Weasley in the chest, throwing him backwards into the room to collide with a desk. He slid ungracefully to the floor, unconscious.

Lissy stepped into the room, with her wand ready to ward off any other challengers. As she entered seven confused faces popped up from behind desks to see what had happened. They were alarmed for a moment when they saw Lissy standing there with her wand, but when they saw Weasley on the floor, their expressions changed to amusement.

'Oi, Quixley's back!' said Julius Flint, standing up and raising his arms in ironic celebration. Flint was a thin, unkempt wizard with greasy hair and narrow eyes that gave him an unfortunately sinister appearance. Nonetheless his smile at the sight of Lissy was sincere. The Aurors all laughed at Weasley on the floor, and gave a round of applause for Lissy, before turning back to their work.

Flint looked down at the unconscious man and shook his head. 'You and Weasley, you're always the same,' he said with a roll of his eyes. 'Well, he's not going to be happy about this.'

'I'm counting on it,' said Lissy, stowing her wand in her pocket again. She nodded her head in the direction of the Chief Auror's office. 'I need to see the Chief right now. I know he's back in the country.'

'Yes, he said you might show up,' said Flint, with a shrug of his shoulders, 'Go on through.'

'He did?' said Lissy, raising her eyebrows. 'So why did his best man try to stop me?'

'What, Weasley?' said Flint, smiling broadly. 'The Chief told him to keep you out. As a joke on him. Well he took the bait.' He grinned at Weasley. 'Daft sod.'

Lissy shook her head in bemusement, then strode past Flint in the direction of the Chief's private office. As she crossed the room images of dark wizards sneered at her from photographs pinned to notice boards. She noticed that there were several maps hanging around of southern Spain, studded with red pins, some tied with string to the various photographs. Lissy did not bother to knock on the Chief's door, and strode in confidently.

The Chief's office was a generous size, but it nevertheless felt cramped owing to the mountains of files and folders piled up around the room. Immediately on her right as she entered was a huge birdcage. Inside the cage, a flock of origami birds shuffled and competed for space on rows of perches. The paper birds were covered with ink. They were departmental memos, and the cage was the Chief's in-tray.

Dominating the centre of the room was a large stone object which clearly did not belong there. It was a man-sized obelisk. The stone was obviously very old, because its corners had been ground smooth by time. It was engraved with a myriad of runic symbols, some of which were glowing red. Lissy took a close look at it as she shuffled between it and a filing cabinet. It looked to be foreign, and very old: an artefact of arcane magic.

At the far side of the room there was a large desk, piled high with books, papers, ink bottles and quills. The chair behind the desk was vacant though. Lissy glanced around, and realised that the room was empty.

Suddenly there was a banging to Lissy's left and the door of a cabinet swung open. A tall man in a long brown cloak stumbled out of it, and staggered towards the desk. He caught his balance by falling into the table, and then began brushing down his cloak with his hands to remove a film of dust. Then he took off his cloak and flung it across the room, whereupon it landed on the birdcage and sent the flock of memos to leap into a mad flutter.

The man straightened and removed his glasses to stare at Lissy mischievously. 'Vanishing cabinet!' he said. 'Bit too small for me really, but it does the trick.' He ran a hand through his thick black hair, shaking out dust, and leaving it in an untidy mess. The man was of a slim build despite his height, as though he had a tendency to miss meals. He was just over thirty years of age, yet his lined face made him appear older, and his green eyes seemed sparkled with the life experience of a man twice his age.

'You're got a lot of nerve, Potter,' said Lissy, disposing of any pleasantries.

The man moved around to his chair, walking with a slight limp in his gait, and planted himself down firmly in his seat of authority. 'And good afternoon to you too, Quixley,' he said.

'Don't mess around,' said Lissy, 'this is serious. You can't take Miller away from his mother. You're out of your mind!'

'Tea?' asked the man, gesturing to a pot on the desk. 'Or perhaps something stronger – I think there's a bottle of Firewhiskey knocking about here somewhere...'

Lissy planted her fists on his desk and leaned towards him fiercely. 'You – can't – do – this!'

Harry Potter took out a handkerchief and let Lissy wait whilst he wiped his spectacles. He rubbed them methodically, removing all of the dust which he appeared to have accumulated within his cabinet. Then he placed them on his nose, folded his hands and looked at her seriously. 'Or else what?' he said.

Lissy stood stock still for a moment, then flexed her hands so that her knuckles clicked. He was so arrogant! He needed to be taught a lesson. With a sudden fluid motion she drew her wand and pointed it at Potter. 'Stupe-'

Potter was quicker. '_Expelliaurmus_!' he said loudly, even as he whipped his wand from his sleeve. His spell struck, and Lissy's wand leapt from her hand.

'Pah!' she said, looking away angrily. 'You always use that damn spell.'

'And you're always trying to hex people,' said Potter.

'Only when they deserve it,' retorted Lissy.

'_Accio wand!' _incanted Potter, and Lissy's wand flew to his hand. He spun it between his fingers for a moment and then tossed back to her. 'Please try to keep your temper,' he said.

Lissy tapped the base of her wand on his desk irritably, and considered trying to hex him again. As she did that Potter relaxed in his seat, and summoned a chair for Lissy from across the room. 'Sit down,' he said, 'and let's talk'.

Shoving aside her desire to teach him a lesson, Lissy seated herself, and folded her arms tightly across her chest. After a moment's silence she spoke to break the tension. 'So what's in Spain?' she asked, disinterestedly.

'Plains, mainly,' he said, drily. 'Not much rain.'

'No, tell me,' she said, now intrigued by his aloof attitude. 'I saw the pictures in the main office.'

Potter seemed relieved that she had relinquished from making demands of him. He leaned forwards and put his elbows on the desk. 'Two weeks ago I recieved a letter from Cayetano Cazador, the lead Auror in the _Ministerio de la Magia_. The Spanish Aurors have discovered a cult of dark wizards.'

'What does it have to do with you?' Lissy asked.

'The cult is based in Gibraltar,' said Potter, 'which is British land according to the Muggles.' The Chief Auror shrugged. 'So for one he was worried about the politics, but I wasn't worried about that. The important thing was that it seemed like there were several British wizards involved, and that certainly was my concern.'

'So I expect you went and caught the lot and threw them in Azkaban,' said Lissy.

'What were they doing? Re-animating rabbits? You've locked people up for less.'

That was not true, but Potter understood her point, and did not appreciate it. He leaned back and looked at her down the length of his nose. 'We have not made any arrests yet.'

'So... what are these cultists doing?' Lissy said, testing to see how much information she could glean from him.

'Well, obviously I can't tell you that,' Potter said, dismissively. He made a steeple of his fingers and tapped his index fingers thoughtfully. 'You would have to be an Auror to be know that information.'

'I _am_ an Auror,' said Lissy, tersely.

Potter shook his head wearily. 'No, you're really not,' he said. 'Not while you're working for the Office of Protection.'

Lissy and Potter exchanged a long look. 'Well I'm not coming back to work here,' she said. 'Not while you're in charge.'

'No, of course you won't,' Potter said, rising suddenly from his chair and pacing across the room. 'You're far too stubborn to change your mind. You're just like me.'

'I'm nothing like you,' said Lissy, hotly.

Harry Potter rounded on her and folded his hands behind his back. 'Lisete Quixley, you are a rule breaker, a rascal and the most stubborn person I have ever met. It's like looking in a mirror, and I admire you for it. That's why I trained you as an Auror.'

'Oh, give it up, man,' said Lissy, standing up. 'You might have the Ministry under your influence, but your charms won't work on me.'

'Well,' he said, with a shrug, 'I tried.'

There was a sudden knock on the door, and Potter looked up at it with momentary trepidation. It was as though he knew who had arrived, and he looked uneasy. 'I'll be with you in a minute!' he called, towards the door.

Still limping slightly, Potter wandered over to a cupboard, and rummaged around inside it. Lissy heard the clinking of glass and ceramics. He returned to his desk with a bottle of Firewhiskey in his left hand, and two short mismatched glasses pincered between the fingers of his right hand. He did not ask Lissy before uncorking his bottle and pouring a double measure into each glass.

Lissy frowned at the glass suspiciously. It would be rude to refuse the drink – which actually gave her more reason to decline it. Nonetheless, it would be good for Potter to loosen his tongue, and he was more likely to do so if she joined him. _Almost as good as veritaserum_, she thought, as she sipped at the glass. The warm liquid hit her stomach like wonderful burning fire, and it bolstered her courage.

'Right,' she said, setting the glass down. 'You've got to reverse the decision on Miller. And don't tell me it's the Wizengamot's decision. You could get it overturned quicker than you can say "Merlin's frilly pants".'

'I'm flattered,' Potter said drily, as he took a sip of his drink.

'I would have thought you of _all people_ would recognise the stupidity of taking him away from his mother,' said Lissy. 'This is exactly what happened to You-Know-Who. He lost his mother when he was a boy, and was raised by people who didn't love him, and it made him... a monster.'

'Well I understand your point, Quixley,' said Potter, 'but this is another matter. By your accounts, it seems littler Richard Miller is potentially far more powerful than Tom Riddle. We have to take extra care.'

'It's precisely because of his power that we must make sure he's raised properly,' said Lissy, leaning forwards on the desk. 'Why don't you understand?'

Potter smiled, and finished off his drink. There was another knock at the door, and suddenly Potter looked apprehensive once again. 'In a minute!' he repeated. Then he placed the glass down on the table firmly, and reached for the bottle a second time.

'I do understand,' he said, as he poured. 'I really do. And I agree with you fully. You're right. Miller should stay with his mother.'

Lissy raised up her hands and he brow lowered in confusion. 'But- Wha-? Why did you make the application - '

'- but of course,' said Potter, pressing on, and leaning back with his second glass in hand. 'It is clear that the Office of Protection is clearly not suited to the task.'

Lissy raised her hands further as she said, 'Oh, and the Aurors are?' she asked, incredulous. 'I didn't realise the Auror daycare centre had opened for business.'

Potter laughed and drank. 'Very good,' he said. 'But it seems to me that if Miller is to return to live among Muggles, he must have regular contact with wizarding folk who can teach him to control his magic. And he should be monitored at all hours to ensure that he poses no threat to those around him. This will need an Auror, not a Protector.'

Suddenly the pieces started falling into place. He was trying to manipulate her into rejoining him. He thought that he could coax her into obeying his well. 'Well I _am_ an Auror,' she said, repeating her earlier words. 'And I can protect Miller perfectly well from the Office of Protection.'

Potter shook his head. 'You are an Auror in name only. If you want to protect Miller, and if you want him to stay with his mother, then you must be directly accountable to me. You must belong to the Auror Office.'

His words confirmed Lissy's suspicions, and she knew at once that she was trapped. 'So you're blackmailing me,' she said, quietly. Then in a flash the full extent of Potter's scheming was revealed to her, and she raised her voice. 'You set this whole thing up, didn't you? You made Mr Jermyn ill so that that Hermione Weasley would have to stand in for him at the last minute! You wanted her to look a fool compared to her husband.'

Potter spread his hands innocently, and he took a sip of his drink. 'I have no idea what you're talking about,' he said. 'Hermione is my friend.'

'And no doubt you've been having quiet words with the Wizengamot too,' accused Lissy. 'No wonder Weasley was so calm when I started talking about Voldemort. He knew you weren't really going to go through with it all, didn't he?'

Potter took another sip of his drink and said, 'Those are some rather serious accusations.'

Lissy scowled. 'And what if I refuse to go along with your plan?' she said. 'Suppose I don't rejoin the Aurors.'

'Then the boy will be taken into Ministry care,' Potter said, nonchalantly.

'You're bluffing,' she said. 'You wouldn't risk the future of this child.'

'Then call my bluff,' Potter said, sternly.

Lissy slouched back in her chair with her arms folded. Harry Potter was the most devious, calculating man she had ever met. It would be a tremendous gamble to take the boy Miller into care. He was playing with fire. She looked into his hard, green eyes, and wondered whether this man would deprive the boy of his mother, just to spite Lissy. Potter knew what it was to live without a mother. How could he wish that on someone else?

Any yet... those resolute eyes seemed to say that he would do what was necessary to get his own way.

'You've got plenty of loyal Aurors. Why are you so keen for me to be his guardian?' asked Lissy. She was stalling for time.

'Nothing,' said Potter, 'other than that you are very talented, and in my opinion the best witch to protect this child Miller... I know that you care about him.'

'And what about when he goes to Hogwarts and he doesn't need me anymore,' said Lissy. 'What's to stop me leaving the Auror Office then?'

Potter could see that he was winning this battle of wits, and he held himself in a triumphant poise. 'Nothing at all,' he said, 'but as I see it, that gives me eight years to change your mind.'

Lissy reached forwards and drained her glass of Firewhiskey, which had still been mostly full. The liquid scorched her throat, but she didn't wince. 'You're a real piece of work, Potter,' she said.

Silence fell between them. Lissy had not formally accepted his offer, but she knew that eventually she would have to go along with his scheme. She told herself it was not so bad. At least she would be doing the job she loved doing, even if Potter was to be her boss. Miller was special, and protecting him was of the upmost importance.

Lissy reached for the bottle of Firewhiskey and poured herself another drink. As she sipped, Potter relaxed, assured of his own victory.

'This is a time of change in the magical community, Quixley,' he said at length. 'I believe that the dark wizards in Spain are part of a larger movement, which has branches all around Europe, and perhaps even further afield. You're going to be learning about them, and we're going to work to stop them.'

Lissy snorted.

'I know you don't like my methods,' he said, 'but soon you'll come to understand what it is we are fighting... and why I am coming down hard on all forms of the dark arts.'

'Whatever,' said Lissy, 'I'll just stick to keeping Miller safe.'

Potter smiled. It was a kind smile though, she supposed. That was the first time Lissy had confirmed her acceptance of his offer, and he seemed genuinely thankful and relieved.

There was a third knock. 'Give me a moment,' Potter called. On instinct, he reached for the bottle, but then paused, apparently thinking better of it. He looked to Lissy, aware that she had taken note of his quick drinking. The Chief Auror was nervous about the person who had come to see him.

'Anyway,' he went on, 'as I said, it's a time of change. Kingsley's reaching the end of his second seven-year term as Minister. It's rumoured that he won't be seeking re-election.'

'Rumoured?' said Lissy, with flat scepticism. 'Did he tell you that he's quitting, then? Or rather – did you tell him to quit?'

Potter stood up and folded his hands neatly behind his back. He did not answer her question. 'There will be a new Minister in the next year,' he said.

A new Minister of Magic. That was a strange concept for Lissy. Kingsley Shacklebolt seemed to have been in power forever. He had become Minister a few weeks before she started at Hogwarts, just after the fall of the Dark Lord. Now he was going to leave. She could not say she was sad though. The Minister had become little more than a puppet for Potter in recent years.

'So,' she said to Potter. 'I suppose you're going to put yourself forward for election?'

Potter gave a genuine laugh and wandered back towards his desk. 'Don't be silly,' he said. 'This is the only job I want.'

'Well who then,' she said. 'I know you. You've got someone in mind.'

Potter shook his head. 'Ever the cynic,' he said.

'Tell me,' said Lissy.

Potter walked around the desk, past Lissy and shuffled across his office to the door through which Lissy had entered. 'I'm about to have a meeting with him,' he said, 'Come along.'

So, this was who had been knocking at his door, Lissy realised. Who would evoke such a mood of apprehension from Potter? Potter was clearly not afraid as such, for it often seemed nothing frightened the Chief Auror. He was definitely nervous though.

Potter opened the door to allow Lissy to exit. The visitor was standing in the doorway. Lissy looked up at the newcomer, who seemed to have the same look of suspicion and trepidation as Potter. Behind him, Lissy could see the Aurors watching with bated breath as Harry greeted the new arrival.

'Potter,' said the wizard at the door. The man was slightly taller than Potter and held a straight poise, with a tight-fitting black coat fastened up under his chin, and a green velvet cape draped around his shoulders. His receding blonde hair was slicked back across his head.

'Lisete Quixley,' said Potter, 'may I introduce you to Draco Malfoy – the next Minister of Magic.'

_End of Chapter One_


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